Toy excavator



Aug. 14, 1951 J. A. THIERRY TOY EXCAVATOR Filed June 21, 1946 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1951 OFFICE ToY EXCAVATOR 101m; A. Thierry, SouthMilwaukee', Wis: Application June 21, 1946;. Serial No. 678,516,

(one-4m 13 Claims.

lVIy invention relates to new anduseful im-' prove'ments in mechanicaltoys, more particularly; toys simulating tractor-propelledhydraulic op eratedexcava-tors such as tractor shovels, bull dozersscrapers, and the like;

In the; manufacture and sale of such toys, the problem isto devisea mechanism that will satisfy the following special requirements:

(-1{)* The toy must accurately; preserve the general working actionand: appearanceof the real machine:

(-2) The mechanism mustbe simple and easy for; a childto operate" without damage to the working parts.

(3) The toy must be inexpensive to fabricate nd assemble:

(4) The number of ind'ependentcontrols must be an absolute minimunnminor operative motions being wherever possible automatic.

Toys of the class described herein have in the past been difiicult to manufacture and market. because theyhave violated one: or more of the above principles.

Accordingly it is the principal object of my' invention to devise.- a mechanism fortoys' simul'ating tractor-propelled hydraulic excavators that" will duplicate their action and appearance, and be, sturdy and simple to-operate and manufacture;

In addition to 'my principal object; above stated, I liaveworked' out'a number of'gnov'el and useful details, which will be" readilyf evident as the description progresses.

y invention consists in; the novel parts and in the combination and arrangement thereof, which are defined in theappended claims; and" of which one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawings which" are hereinafter particularly described and explained;

" Throughout the description the same reference number is applied to the same member or," to

similar members.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate one embodiment of my in-vention: a toy tractor shovel" comprising a toy tractorand a raisable dipper-assembly.

Figure" l is a side elevation of thetractor shovel in' digging position.

' Figure? is -a-side elevation of the-tractor shovel, raise'd in dum'ping position, with adotted lineto indicate the path--ofthe-dipper as it is raised; Figure 3 is a rear eleva-tion; taken alongthe line 33', of- Fig-ure 2, showing the tractor shovel in dumping position,

Figure-4 is an isometric rear and side-view-ofthetractor-sh'ove1 showingthe" dipper; thefront v 2' portion of the dipper SlippOrt'iIl'g' frame, and-the dipper-trip mechanism.

Referring now to Figures l and 2iiwe see that my toy tractor is of the conventional-typehaving a; main frame H supported bytraick members l2} simulating creeping'tractionunits; which are atta'che'dito rear and front axles l-3* and; M secured tothe underpart ofthe-mainframea Thedetail's of'the'toy tractor form no part of my" invention; and'are immaterial except so far as hereinafter discussed. Although a track-tractor is shown, it is obvious that any; other type of ground support; such as wheels; can be used,

The dipper assembly; comprising" the dipper' and its supporting frame, described and mani pulated as follows. Dipper l5 pivotallysup ported as at 1'6 by'thefr'ont endof-t'he supporting frame. The-supporting frameconsists of two' push arms ll located above track members [2,, one on each sideof the-tractor, and-connected at theirforward' end by cro'sspiece Ill-located across the" front or the tractor;- The rea'rlend of each arm is pivoted to the upper end of' an upwardly projecting link l9 which is pivoted at its lower end on rear axle I3. Each arm' is also pivoted to arm 20' of bell crank 2| which is pivotally supported at its elbow 22 by a forward portion of the tractor, as by mainframe H. The" otherarm 23"0f' bell crank 21 is pivotally connected to the end ofa' rod 24; simulating in part a piston rod; which then passes rearwardly through a longi; tudinal holein cylinder'25. Cy1inder25-simulates a hydraulic cylinder and is pivoted, as at 26 at the upper end of pos't2l which is secured to'the tractor, preferably to underlying track member I2. Rod 24 is bent to pass around'the back of the tractor, this portion of" the rod passing through operating handle 28' Which is in the form of a hollow cylinder; Moving the handle backward and forward respectively raises" and lowers-the dipper along the'pathindicated by the dotted line in Figure 2; causing the supporting mechanism to function exactly as in" a real ma= chine.

Turning now to- Figure-l; we see that when dipper |-5is=in digging position- (Figures l and 4-), it bears against thefiont face of" cross piece [8% and'is'locked int-hisposition-by hookZll-which is pivotedat 30 to-the backofthe dipper and engages the top' rear corner" of cross piece l8: As the dipper'is' raised fro'm digging to dumping; position, hook- 29 is-keptenga'ged by gravity, al-* though it is obviousthae other retaining means sucl'r as a spring or counterweight could also be-used= for that purpose; When the dipper the dipper for forward tilting to dump. Forward tilting of the dipper is restricted by dipper pivot cars 33, contacting the back of cross piece l8 (Figure 2). Automatic release of hook 29 for dumping when the dipper is fully raised is effected by cord 34 which is secured at one end to lever arm 35 on shaft 3i and at the other end to a point on the tractor so chosen with respect to the given length of cord that when the dipper is fully raised the cord is taut and actuates lever arm 35 to release hook 29 and at all other times during the digging cycle the cord is slack. Such a point is the pivot connection 36 between bell crank 2| and the end of rod 24, although it is obvious that other convenient points on the tractor will satisfy the above-stated conditions. To insure return of lever arm 35 to inactive position as the dipper is lowered from dumping position and the cord is slack, counterweight 31 is attached to the end of the lever, although other return means such as a spring could obviously be substituted. Guides 38 and 39 on the push arms and tractor respectively serve to keep the cord from dragging on the ground or interfering with working parts when it is slack.

Having now described and illustrated one form of my invention, I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

In the claims, when I use the term tractor or vehicle I intend indiscriminately any part of the tractor or vehicle as a whole. When I intend any particular part of the tractor or vehicle such as the main frame or the track members, wheels or ,other ground-engaging means, I so specify.

I claim:

1. In a material-handling device for attachment to a toy tractor, the combination of: two arms, and a 'material-handling implement attached to the arms; each arm being supported and manipulated by the following described mechanism: a rigid link pivotally supported by the tractor near the rear thereof and pivotally supporting the rear portion of the arm, a second link, pivotally supported by the tractor at a point forward of the first link, and pivotally supporting the arm at a point forwardly of the first link, and hand-operated mechanical means, comprising a cylinder and piston assembly, in simulation of a hydraulic mechanism to raise and lower the arm.

2. A device according to claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the raising and lowering means is applied to the second link to rotate the same and to raise the arm.

3. In a material-handling device for attachment to a toy tractor, the combination of: two arms, and a material-handling implement attached to the arms; each arm being supported and manipulated by the following described mechanism: a rigid link pivotally supported by the tractor near the rear thereof and pivotally supporting the rear portion of the arm, and a bell-crank, with its elbow pivotally supported by the tractor at a point forward of the said link, and having two arms, the first bell-crank arm being pivotally connected to the implement- 4 carrying arm at a point forwardly of the link, and the second bell-crank arm being actuated by raising and lowering means, said. means being hand-operated and comprising a cylinder and piston assembly in simulation of a hydraulic mechanism.

4. A device according to claim 3, further characterized by the fact that the cylinder and piston assembly is substantially horizontal; and that in lowered position the first bell-crank arm projects rearwardly and the second bell-crank arm projects downwardly.

5. A device according to claim 3, further characterized by the fact that the raising and lowering means for the implement arms are interconnected for common operation.

6. A device according to claim 3, further characterized by the fact that the raising and lowering means comprises: a pair of hollow cylindrical members simulating hydraulic cylinders; a U- shaped rod having arms serving as piston rods for said cylinders; and. an operating handle attached to the crossbar of said U-shaped rod for manipulating said arms in unison relative tov said cylindrical members.

7. A toy excavator operating mechanism for tilting an excavating implement comprising: a catch connected to the implement for locking it against tilting; a trip for release of said catch;

a pair of members respectively simulating a,

hydraulic cylinder and piston; a handle attached to the piston-like member for slidably manipulating it relative to the cylinder-like member; and tension means connected to the trip and to the manipulated piston-like member whereby the catch is automatically released when the manipulated piston-like member is at one end of its stroke.

8. In a material-handling device for attachment to a toy tractor, the combination of: an implement frame and a material handling implement attached to said implement frame, said implement frame being pivotally supported near the rear thereof by the tractor and being manipulated by the following described mechanism: a bell-crank with its elbow pivotally supported by the tractor at a point forward of the rear pivotal support of the implement frame and having two arms, the first arm pivotally supporting the implement frame at a point forward of the rear pivotal support of said frame, and the second arm being operatively connected to and actuating by the piston portion of handoperated means comprising a cylinder and piston assembly in simulation of a hydraulic mechanism.

9. A device according to claim 8, further characterized by the fact that the implement frame is pivotally supported near the rear thereof on a rigid link, said link being pivotally supported on the tractor.

10. A device according to claim 8, further charlink. of fixed length pivotally supporting the implement frame and pivotally supported by the vehicle, both pivot axes of said link being distinct from and forward of the rear pivotal support of the implement frame, said link being actuated to rotate, about its pivotal support on the vehicle, by the piston portion of handoperated means operatively connected to said link and comprising a cylinder and piston assembly in simulation of a hydraulic mechanism.

12. A device according to claim 11, further characterized by the fact that the implement frame is pivotally supported near the rear thereof on a second rigid link of fixed length, said second link being pivotally supported on the vehicle.

13. A device according to claim 11, further characterized by the fact that said hand oper- 6 ated means comprises: a pair of hollow cylindrical members simulating hydraulic cylinders; a U-shaped rod having arms serving as piston rods for said cylinders; and an operating handle attached to the crossbar of said U-shaped rod for manipulating the arms of said rod in unison relative to said cylindrical members.

JOHN A. THIERRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 830,783 Groesbeck Sept. 11, 1906 2,345,620 Mork Apr. 4, 1944 

